Plaquemines Parish, LA
Per the 2020 Census data, the population of Plaquemines Parish was 23,515. The parish seat is Pointe á la Hache, but the parish has no incorporated communities. The largest community in Plaquemines Parish is Bell Chasse. The parish has a large seafood industry and is the largest crude-oil producer of all Louisiana parishes. It is also home to Fort Jackson, a historic masonry fort used in the Civil War and World War 1.
Historical Facts:
Plaquemines Parish was established in 1807, and is one of two parishes in Louisiana to keep the same boundaries from its established date. The name Plaquemines is derived from the Atakapa word “piakimin,” which means “persimmon,” a common fruit in the parish. The parish is home to the last 70 miles of the Mississippi River before it reaches the Gulf of Mexico, so crude oil and fishing are the largest industries. Plaquemines Parish has several oil refineries, is a base for assistance to offshore oil rigs, and is consistently the leading parish in crude oil production. The parish also exports millions of pounds of shrimp, crab, oysters, and fish annually.
Geographical Facts:
Plaquemines parish is the final stretch of the Mississippi River. The parish creates a corridor surrounding the river as it flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the developed areas are located along either side of the 70 miles of the Mississippi River flowing through the parish. The total land area of the parish is 845 square miles, and unfortunately, much of the landscape below Belle Chasse is scarred from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. However, massive levee protection upgrades and coastal restoration projects are underway to ensure hurricane devastation does not occur again.